The Gifts of Gotham
by Crime Crusaders Contest
Summary: Vigilante Edward Cullen spends his nights protecting his city. Having grown up with his two gifted brothers, he knows all about people with special abilities. However what happens when he decides to take in a gifted teenage girl and her traumatized brother? If he is going to save them he must first find out who they are running from. That may prove difficult when he is the only one


Story Title: The Gifts of Gotham

Summary: Vigilante Edward Cullen spends his nights protecting his city. Having grown up with his two gifted brothers, he knows all about people with special abilities. However what happens when he decides to take in a gifted teenage girl and her traumatized brother? If he is going to save them he must first find out who they are running from. That may prove difficult when he is the only one without special abilities.

Pairing: Edward Cullen Bella Swan

Rating M

Word Count 9505

**The Gifts of Gotham**

"Mr. Cullen."

"Mr. Cullen."

I remember the night I met Isabella Swan. The dream haunted me often when I would begin to think about where she was, wonder if she was safe, or even alive? After her brother died on my watch, she left me behind. I couldn't blame her. Her anger and resentment would follow me the rest of my days on earth. It was my job to look after the pair. I took on the task. I believed it was because I was familiar with the unfamiliar. I could lend a helping hand for their situation. I now wonder if it would have been best if I never laid eyes on them at all. What a sight that was, the first time I met Isabella Swan.

"Edward!"

I am awoken by a pillow colliding into my face. I growl and toss the pillow off the bed and open my eyes. It's still dark. I look over and see the clock telling me it's the very early morning hours.

"Geez. What is it, Emmett?"

"Hey, I tried the whole Mr. Cullen thing. Sorry but I'm not your Alfred. I'm not about to keep your house and wipe your ass."

I knew it was a mistake to let Emmett come and stay with me. I run my hand over my face to wipe the sleep from my eyes. I had a rough night and now I had to deal with Emmett's ornery ass.

"Just tell me what you are doing in my room at three in the morning?"

Emmett huffed and backed up from the bed. "There is a fire down at one of your warehouses. It looks bad. Something sinister is going down. I can feel it."

"That's funny coming from you. The last time I checked Jasper was the one with pathokinetic abilities," I retorted.

"Well, you better get your ass up and hope I don't use my abilities on you." Emmett began to walk away and shouted as he went, "And answer your own damn phone from now on."

I leaned over and grabbed my cell phone. I see it lit up from messages from my assistants and various other heads in my company. I begin to regret ever attempting at getting a decent night's sleep. It would have been easier to stay up and deal with this drama than to drag myself out of bed and drive all the way down to the docks to find out what happened. I knew when I purchased the location, it would be the scene for possible shady deals. I wasn't ignorant of what the area had to offer. Illegal drugs and arms. Sex trafficking. But, I thought my presence down at the Southside of the wharf, would be the start of cleaning up that area.

I wanted to take a quick shower to wake myself up, but I knew my attendance was needed on scene, so I grabbed a coffee and jumped into my Quattroporte to get down to the warehouse. Blocks away from the location, I can already see the smoke billowing out from the fire. The flames light up the sky and I wonder what could have started this. My warehouses were still vacant having only been purchased a few weeks before. There wasn't anything worth its salt to cause the ignition or fuel to keep a fire going for this long.

I jump out of the car and proceed towards the police tape, ducking underneath it. The hardworking fireman and women already managed to get the fire contained. I see the man Emmett and I had just spoken about and head towards his direction.

"Detective Whitlock," I greeted.

"Edward," he says shaking my hand. "Nice of you to join us. Afraid to say this doesn't look good. There were people inside."

I narrowed my eyes in question.

"People?"

"Yes, when I first arrived I could feel them as they burned and died. I don't feel them anymore."

When Jasper decided to move back to the city, we felt with his abilities it would be best to insert himself into a position with constant police contact and resources. My other brother Emmett was strong, but we still had no idea what to do with him since he had issues with knowing how to be professional.

"The firemen have reported bodies but still don't know what the cause of the fire is. We probably won't know till later," Jasper added.

"I don't know what it could be. The damn building was completely vacant. Please send me the reports the moment you receive them."

Another hour later we had finally made some headway with the fire. Firemen were bringing out bodies with the help of the paramedics. From what I could tell, they all looked like they would be the kind of people you would find in an abandoned warehouse at this time of night probably participating in scrupulous dealings. Suddenly, a fireman began yelling for everyone's attention.

"We have survivors! Get the EMT's ready."

Two paramedics rush past me and I can't help but follow along after. I know I am not wearing the proper gear, but I have to see for myself. We all rush into the building. The structure is completely black and charred but all of our feet skid to a halt when we take in the scene before us. Two kids, probably not much older than fifteen or sixteen stand holding onto one another in the center of the room and not an ounce of soot mares their light skin and matching auburn hair. A circle of untouched pavement surrounds them. One a boy and the other a girl. They look similar, so I wager they are siblings. The firemen and paramedics exchange a look before they walk cautiously toward them.

"Impossible," I hear one fireman say under his breath.

"Perhaps they got lucky," I said.

"No. Not with how hot this fire was burning. It's a damn miracle. That's what it is."

The paramedics slowly take the two and look them over. Jasper jogs to catch up with us to see for himself the miracle. But he and I know this isn't a miracle. There are some people who were given gifts. Jasper with his abilities. Emmett with his strength. I wasn't fortunate enough to have such gifts, but I had been exposed to them my whole life. It was clear one of these kids had the ability to shield the pair from the wrath of what happened here tonight.

Jasper immediately goes to work and begins to question the boy. I can see he is quite upset at the events that unfolded here.

"I need you to tell us, son, what happened here tonight."

The girl speaks up and seems quite insolent with her tone. "He doesn't speak, so any questions you have, you can direct them to me."

Jasper looks back at me surprised by her brazen attitude.

"Okay…darling. Can I have your names? Why don't we start there?"

"So you can look us up and see if we are in the system? No thank you! And I'm not your darling so you can cut the southern niceties."

I see Jasper put out and he looks over to me and mumbles, "This one has a mouth on her and is stubborn like the dickens."

I stepped forward and decided to take over for Jasper.

"Look, we just want to know what happened. I take it from the look of your clothes that you two are living on the streets. Probably have no parents considering your charming attitude and manners. By the looks of the bodies that came out so far, I'm sure they were the aggressors and you are somehow wrapped up in something way above your paygrade. So why don't you just do us all a favor and answer the good detective questions and we can all be on our way."

The girl's light brown eyes look me over as she decides whether she will trust me. I can feel Jasper already working on his mojo to help with her compliance.

"Fine, once my brother and I get something to eat, I'll sing like a damn canary."

The paramedics walk the young boy and girl out to a safety zone while Jasper called ahead to make the meal arrangements. The girl begins to argue what she wants on her pizza as Jasper apparently ordered incorrectly. I take one last look around the building and see how the structure will most likely have to be torn down from the damage. It is clear these kids are special and unique in the way that Jasper and Emmett were special and unique. Who better to deal with this mess than me?

An officer escorts the teenagers towards his car and helps them into the back. Jasper stops and waits for me to catch up.

"I don't think we should take them downtown. They need more than the police department can provide and I think we both know they are gifted," he begins.

"I agree. Definitely something special and the girl seems to have an issue with authority. I don't think she will give you much if you put her in an interrogation room."

Jasper looks at me and gives me a slight smile and a look I know too well. I may not have any special abilities but sometimes I knew my brothers so well, I could read their damn minds.

"No," I begin. "Absolutely not. What the hell would I do with a mute teenage boy and a bitchy teenage girl?"

"Edward," Jasper places his hand on my shoulder. "Don't make me do that thing to you."

I shrug off his touch and back up.

"Don't say it like that. It's gross. I don't care if we aren't related by blood. I'm straight and I'm never going to get with you, man."

Jasper shakes his head at me.

"You straight guys all think we are always trying to change your sexuality. You keep talkin' like that, and I'll call mom," he threatened. "Look, just…take them for the night. A couple of days until we know what is what. Looks like from the bodies that came out of here tonight, whatever issue that caused these kids to be in this warehouse at this time of night, was dealt with. You have a way with people. You can get the girl to talk. Take them home and clean them up and I will do my best to find a good foster situation for them until we can find out where their parents are."

I crack my neck and shake my head in disbelief I was considering this.

"Fine. Two days max but then they are out to some suburban soccer mom for care. You know I can't have kids at the house with what I do. I don't need them snooping around into my private affairs."

"Yeah, yeah. You're a regular superhero. Statues should be forged, and panties should be sewn with your emblem upon them. Happy?"

I slug him in the arm and take off towards my car.

Jasper and Emmett thought I was stupid for taking on the life I had chosen. But, when your whole childhood is spent with your father researching into gifted individuals and he even goes to the extent of adopting two and calling them your family, it becomes hard to not want to help make the world a better place even if I don't share their talents. I focused on my studies and trained harder than either of my brothers in various martial arts. Even with their abilities, I knew I could kick their ass if need be.

The sun's harsh light made it harder to drive towards my house in the country. The police officer was following me escorting the kids in the back of his car. I tried to call Emmett to let him know of our new houseguests but like the prat he was, he didn't answer.

I pulled into the long drive and parked my car near the main entry door. I would move the car in the garage later. I got out of the car and could already hear the girl squawking as the officer opened her door.

She jumped out and asked, "What the hell is this? Bringing me back to your mansion to have your wicked way with me?"

I rolled my eyes and sighed.

"We thought this would be preferable to an interrogation room. At least here you can get a decent meal, shower, and a comfortable bed. You don't even have to talk until you've had some rest so why you don't stop your complaining for two seconds and go in the house and eat something. Maybe then you'll be more agreeable."

The officer gave me a look sympathizing with me. Even though the boy hadn't said a word, I noticed he smirked at my statement. The girl gave him a look trying to decide if she should do what I said. She rolled her eyes and pushed at the boy to follow her.

I put my arm out to stop her when she reached the steps.

"Names?"

She narrowed her eyes challenging me, but I stood my ground.

"Bella. My brother is Seth. But that is all you'll get from us until we eat."

"Why don't you shower first. It might be nice to eat with clean hands," I said.

She scoffed and went up the stairs towards the front door without another snotty word. I opened the door after thanking the officer and then making sure he left. I hear Bella whistle as she stepped foot into my entryway. The sound echoing throughout the house.

"Damn, Daddy Warbucks. Leave some money for the rest of us."

I didn't reply to her comment because I knew she was baiting me. Two days couldn't go fast enough. They followed me towards the laundry facilities and I handed them freshly laundered clothes. Bella cringed at having to wear something of mine, but I told her I would order her something new that would be here this afternoon. I took them towards the guest quarters and explained I would have their food ready and waiting when they were through cleaning up. I knew Jasper would be here with the pizzas by the time they finished.

"And just how are we going to find our way back to the kitchen? Is there some kind of tram system in this mansion? A Roomba we can follow? Should you run a string along for us to navigate? An app or Marauder's map…"

"I will make sure you find your way when you are ready," I cut her off. My head already pulsating from the pain she was inflicting.

I shook my head and walked away trying to leave before this girl made me go insane. I headed towards my office for peace and quiet and pulled up my security cameras to find the camera that was pointed at Bella and Seth's room to keep an eye on their door for when they were finished.

Emmett sauntered in and crash-landed on my leather couch.

"So, what the hell happened?"

"We have guests," I said aggravatedly.

Emmett immediately perked up. "Of the female persuasion?"

I rolled my eyes and prepared to dash his dreams.

"Yes…but she isn't legal."

"How far away from legal?" Emmett asked. I wished I was closer to smack him.

"Don't even think about it. That's disgusting."

Emmett looked to me as if I had lost my marbles.

"They're kids…teenagers who were caught up in the fire mess. Somehow the damn building seemed to burn down around them and not only are they alive, but they have no smoke inhalation and not a damn mark on them which is impossible so it's obvious they are…"

"Gifted," he said finishing up my sentence. "God, dad would be excited. Did you ask them? Find out their powers?"

I shook my head. "No, the girl is difficult to say the least and the boy… he doesn't speak. Jasper wants me to keep them for a couple of days while we sort this out. Figure out why they were there in the first place and what exactly are their gifts."

My eye catches movement on one of the screens and I see it is a camera from the front door. Jasper. He has a key and fumbles for it. I press a button opening my front door, so he can get in with the pizzas.

"Jaspers here. You want pizza?"

I shouldn't have even asked. Suddenly there was an Emmett shaped imprint on my couch and a bang from my office door from his quick exit. My eye catches the movement on the hallway camera outside the guest room. I sighed and prepared myself for round two.

When I arrived back to the guest room, Bella stood with her arms across her chest and tapping her foot at the irritation that it took me all of one minute to get back to her.

"Detective Whitlock has the pizza you requested. There is something we need to speak with you about. I would appreciate it if we can put a lid on the snotty attitude, so we can get through this more efficiently."

She rolled her eyes at me and the boy nodded his head although I thought it was unlikely he would say a word during our conversation. The kids followed me down the stairs and towards the kitchen. I could hear the girl scoff when we would pass by one of my pricier paintings.

Jasper was sitting at the table looking at our brother disgustedly while Emmett tore into one of the pizzas.

"Gross. Who invited the ogre to eat our food? That wasn't part of the deal. To eat some giants' scraps," Bella complained.

"Ogre?" Emmett asked offended.

"Calm down, your pizza is in the oven keeping warm. Go sit down and have some respect. This is my brother Emmett and Detective Whitlock just happens to be my other brother," I explained.

Bella walked over and pulled out a chair. Her brother followed her lead and did the same.

"Funny, you don't look related."

"Technically, we aren't. Not by blood," I said pulling the pizza out of my oven and bringing over a couple of plates and napkins.

"So, do you all live with your Richie Rich parents or something?" she asked pulling a piece out of the box and stuffing it into her mouth with no worries of speaking with her mouth full.

"This is my house and Emmett is crashing for the time being. Our parents don't live in the city. Although our father would be mighty interested in meeting with you."

"Why? Does he want to adopt us too?" she asked.

"No. I think my parents had their fill with the three of us," I replied sitting down. I looked over to Jasper and he sat straighter in his chair. "Bella, our father is a doctor and has been researching people like you for most of his career."

"People like me? What the hell does that mean? Kids who live on the street or something?"

I shook my head.

"No. People with extra abilities."

Bella stopped stuffing her mouth and dropped her pizza down to her plate. Her eyes danced between my brothers and me. She jumped out of her chair and grabbed her brother's arm.

"We're out of here."

She pulled her brother with her, but I jumped up from my chair and blocked her exit.

"Not until you hear what we have to say. So, sit your ass down and give us a minute of your time. Eat your pizza and keep your ears opened," I ordered pointing back to the table. She was stubborn, but she had met her match.

I see her struggle to conform but after a solid minute she does as she is told, and Seth follows after. Instead of picking her pizza back up. She sits back in her chair with a challenging stare waiting for me to continue.

"Look, I know all about superpowers. Special abilities. Our lives revolved around them when we were growing up. As I said, my father studied people just like you. You aren't the only ones out there with these abilities." I looked at Jasper and he gives me a slight nod. "Jasper has pathokinetic abilities which means he can influence your mood. Apparently not well since you are still the same snotty kid we met in the warehouse."

Jasper gave me a look. I knew he didn't like to use his ability unless he needed to. Bella scrunched her nose and gave me a stare of death.

"Emmett is strong. Super strong. Able to lift a car if needs be over his head. We know all about what you are going through. I have kept watch over this city for years coming across many who would use their gifts for evil. But, I know you're not evil. I don't know what happened at the warehouse, but I think you were the victims. So, tell us what happened, and we will do our best to keep you safe and make sure no one comes after you again."

Bella looks away from me and towards the table. Her fingers trace the pattern from the wood as she decides whether she will trust me. Her brother's hand reaches over and squeezes her knee. I can tell he is ready to trust us. She sighs and leans back in her chair.

"We don't know who they are, but they've been after us for some time now. We manage to shake them or…kill them and more pop up like damn cockroaches. You name a major city and we've been there. Always running. Never able to stop for more than a few weeks before they're on us again. They killed our parents over a year ago and we haven't stopped running since. They want us. They know what we can do, and they want to collect us or something."

Jasper speaks up for the first time.

"What exactly can you do?"

Bella shares a look with her brother and gives him a nod. Seth turns over his fist and opens his hand and after a second, a fire appears. Emmett sits a little straighter and his mouth opens allowing a piece of chewed up pizza to fall out. Bella places her hand in the fire and holds it in place. Suddenly, the fire is thrown to the table and hits the pizza box, engulfing it completely. Seth waves his hand and the fire is absent from his palm. Bella reaches out to touch the table and even though the pizza box burns, the table is completely safe.

"Get a cup of water or something because I can't put the damn thing out and I can only block whatever I am touching," Bella ordered.

I quickly go over to the sink and run a glass of water and throw it at the pizza box and it sizzles as the flames are dashed.

"That was fucking awesome," Emmett cheered.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Try telling us that when you can't get the damn fire to stop. You wouldn't think it was so awesome if this mansion burned down around you."

I stand with my hands on my hips pondering if the next words out of my mouth will be my undoing.

"You need training. Your powers are new which is to be expected at your age. I can help you. I can keep you safe. If you're up for it."

Bella laughed ironically. "No offense but how the hell do you think you can keep us safe? I don't think these assholes take personal checks."

Emmett laughed, and I gave him a deathly stare.

"Follow me."

I turn, and Jasper holds out a hand to stop me.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I don't know if they can be trusted with this kind of information," he warned.

"The trust has to begin somewhere." I looked back and the two and said, "Are you going to come with me or not?"

Seth stands first and is ready to join but his sister still looks reluctant. She attempts to act as if she doesn't care but I know she must. After what she has been through, she is afraid to lose any hope I can provide if I can't make good on my vow.

I think back to this moment all the time. This was the turning point. I could have let Jasper handle it from here and hope for the best. Maybe Seth would still be alive. Or perhaps they both would have been dead in a months' time. It was too hard to tell. Hell, Bella could be dead, and I would never know. I have spent the last five years looking for her and had no luck.

I walk to the den and towards the bookshelf. I go over and push in a sequence of various books and run my finger down the spine of the last book. The shelf slowly drops down into the ground, revealing an opening.

"How cliché," Bella scoffed. "A mansion with a secret dungeon."

I don't pay attention to her. Emmett and Jasper follow after Bella and Seth. We go down the steps and enter my informational system center. My computer and screens turn on with our presence.

"Holy Batman freak! Someone wears a cape to bed."

Emmett laughs at Bella's crude comment and he comes over to slap me on the back.

"Can we keep her? She has you pegged."

"Would you shut up?" I snapped.

"I would think you thought it was a compliment. I mean, that is what you are basically. A vigilante who goes out at night to fight crime. You wear all black but no cape," Emmet tells Bella. "Maybe you can convince him to get one."

"Are you two done?" I asked.

Emmett held up his hands and Bella smirked knowing she got under my skin. A favored pastime of hers. She begins to walk around and look over my supplies and technology.

"Okay, if you are as good as all these fancy tools lead me to believe, then why haven't I heard of a vigilante that has been saving our fair city?"

She picks up one of my short batons and waves it around. I immediately go and snatch it from her hands.

"Don't touch unless you know what it is you are touching." I press a button and it sends a spark out the end. "And you haven't heard of me because I'm that damn good."

"Well, that and it pays to have your brother as a lead detective," Emmett added.

"As I said upstairs, you need to be trained and I have the ability to train you. You need a place to stay where you won't have to worry about those goons coming after you, This place is lead lined. Your powers won't work here and no one, no matter what ability they have, can track you as long as you are here. Now, I'm not saying stay down here for the rest of your life, just to sleep, so you can be rested and alert. This house has more of a defense system on it than the Pentagon. You will be safe here."

Emmett hadn't been down to this room too much in the past. Hearing that his abilities wouldn't work here, he walked over to the table and struggled to get it off the ground.

"Son of a bitch," Emmett whispered annoyed.

Once again, Bella looks over to her brother to have a silent conversation with him. She looks around my center and slowly walks around without touching anything. She stops and turns back to me.

"You never told me what your superpower was," she said.

Jasper smirked, and Emmett outright laughed.

"I don't have any. I'm not gifted."

The boys knew how much I hated saying it out loud. They used to tease me for it when I was younger.

Bella stops and begins to laugh. Her giggling turning louder and louder as it echoes throughout the place.

"So…this really is like the Justice League. Everyone has powers but the billionaire," she laughed. "Poor Bruce."

Emmett and Jasper joined her with laughter and even Seth shook a little amused at his sister's observation.

"Yeah, and as I recall, Batman could kick everyone's ass. He didn't need special powers," I argued. "Are you going to take what I am offering or not?"

Bella attempted to stop. She smiled at me and shook her head, "Fine. Whatever."

"Not whatever, Bella. There are rules I expect both of you to live by if we are going to do this. You're what? Fifteen. Sixteen?"

"Sixteen nearly seventeen. Seth is fifteen."

"You have a curfew. You don't leave this house unless you tell me and even then, I might not agree to let you go if I feel the situation is dangerous. You will attend school. Whether it be homeschooling, and I bring a tutor in for you or at a private institution nearby. You will be respectful. You will have chores. And I have high expectations for how hard you will work at controlling your gifts. You will not touch any of the weapons in my house without permission. You will learn a martial art and rules may be added at a later date if they are necessary. You have to ask yourself, do you want to act like a badass or do you want to _be_ a badass? If you do everything I have asked, you are more than welcomed to stay and I promise I will keep you safe. Are we in agreement?"

Bella is fighting her nature to tell me to fuck off. She isn't used to taking orders. I know how much my list of demands upsets her, but I wanted to set it down right here and now that I would not let her act in a manner she was accustomed to. She was a child. I didn't care what age she was. Until she reached eighteen, she would be my responsibility and therefore a child in my eyes. Funny thing was, I never saw her eighteenth birthday.

Bella surprised me. She worked harder than I thought she was capable of. Seth and Bella did everything I asked of them. They worked hard with their tutor. They worked hard with me in learning various martial arts and they worked hard when it came to learning to control their powers. Don't get me wrong, Bella was a pill some days. Most days. She had a mouth on her to make up for the silence her brother brought. She could drive a nun to swear with her insolence but no matter how loud our fights got, we always calmed down. Neither of us apologizing but it was a silent agreement we would get over our argument and move forward.

I found Seth to be the most puzzling of all. He rarely smiled or laughed out loud. I could tell his was in pain even without Jasper having to comment on it when he would come by. I finally gathered up the nerve to ask Bella about it one day.

"Is your brother doing okay?" I asked unwrapping my wrist with the gauze.

Bella stood up from her stretches and walked over to change my dressing. She was quite good at it, I had learned since she came to live with me. My nighttime activities seemed to increase as of late. The goons that were after Bella and her brother were also after others in town. I found my nights fighting them most of the time.

"No different than usual."

"Bella, why doesn't he talk? Has he always been mute? Or is it a recent development?"

She looked at me wagering if she wanted to share that information with me. She shrugged and replied, "since our parents…"

She wrapped my wrist back up and stepped back.

"I don't push him. The scene…was gruesome and Seth…he thinks it was his fault."

"Why would he think that?"

"Because they were after him. Obviously, with what I can do, they can't find me. My shielding ability keeps me safe from being found. No need to sleep in a lead-lined Batcave."

"It's not a Batcave, Bella."

Bella knew she could irritate me always comparing me to that damn comic book character. She gave me her infamous eye roll I have come to ignore.

"Look, I don't know. Maybe I should talk to him. I have seen a lot of really messed up things. Maybe I can give him some perspective," I said.

"You don't need to parent us, Edward. We have parents. Even if they are dead, we don't need a new daddy so don't worry about Seth. He will get over it and move on. I mean, that's life, right? Shitty until you die."

"God, I certainly hope not," I replied. "And I wasn't trying to parent you. I think we can agree a pack of wild dogs couldn't parent you."

She shrugged and grabbed her boxing mitts. "Okay, just wanted to be sure. I don't need a daddy, old man."

I shivered. "Please don't ever say that again. And I'm not much older than you. You only think I am old because I was able to accomplish great feats at such a young age. I'm not even a decade over you."

I never did talk to Seth. I should have talked to him. Even with Bella telling me to leave him alone, I shouldn't have listened. Maybe Seth would still be alive if I had reached out to him. I guess the torment he will living from his past was too overwhelming. Seth's abilities were phenomenal. I knew my father would be interested in both of the kids, so I made the mistake of taking them to meet my parents.

My father rarely left his study. It was something my mother would mention often when she called. Getting Bella on board to come to my parent's house was a bit of a challenge. I explained that my father was far more educated in dealing with people who had special abilities. I had hoped my father could give them insight into managing their powers. I gave him far too much credit.

"Edward, what is the meaning of this? Can't you see I'm busy? Please take your guests out to your mother. Heaven knows she could use the company. Maybe then she would get off my back."

My father returned to looking down at his notes and working with his figures.

"Father, I brought them here because they are gifted. I thought you could help…"

"Gifted?" He asked rising from his chair immediately and forgetting his notes. "Both? What gifts?"

I feel Bella shift slightly to stand behind me. It was strange, I would never have guessed Bella would feel timid since she was always so headstrong and brave to the point of recklessness.

"Seth can light things on fire and Bella is able to shield herself and anything she is touching."

My father put his glasses back on and began to walk closer.

"Such talents. Such gifts. You must show me. Let me test you and see what range you are," my father said eagerly. He placed his hand on Seth's arm and began to prod him.

"Dad, would you stop? I didn't bring them here for you to turn into one of your experiments. I just want to know if you can provide some insight in helping them control their gifts. Limit them…"

"Why would you want to limit them. With your power, you could be invincible. You could do anything you want to do. I could show you a new world."

Bella gave me a look of concern and I sighed.

"That's not why we are here. Look, this was a mistake. My apologies for wasting your time."

"Edward!" my father snapped.

"No! I'm not going to have you test them or treat them like some project. I thought you could help but it seems as if you will never change. Jasper and Emmett told me about what you used to do to them. Test them. Push them to see how far they could go. These kids are my responsibility and I won't turn them into weapons." I looked to Bella and Seth, "Come on. We're done here."

I pushed them out the door and didn't even take the time to say good-bye to my mother. I was so angry, I didn't even apologize to Seth or Bella. I felt horrible for subjecting them to my father. Little did I know; my father was responsible for their gifts.

So, five years had passed since I saw Isabella. I never think of the night she left. It would remind me about Seth and my inability to save him. I couldn't waste my focus on mourning the death of that child. It might eat me up and then I would be of no use to the city.

The gifted were still being hunted down. My intel on who was running the operation was still little. Every step I took, I felt as if I was getting farther and farther from finding out who was responsible. I only had one name. Metamorphosis.

The next step I took was one that worried even me. It was one thing to go out in a costume and be the faceless savior, but I knew in order to infiltrate this enemy's organization, I couldn't hide behind a costume. This time I would have to go in as Edward Cullen. Dangerous if this went wrong. I could be arrested for what I was about to do. My whole reputation ruined.

Standing in my best tuxedo, I await further instructions on finding an illegal nightclub. I had learned it was the center for sex trafficking. One of the many exploits this Metamorphosis dealt in. I receive a mask that I must wear at all times. It is to protect my anonymity so no one else may know who I truly am. Ironic.

A bag is placed over my head and the next time I can see, the room is filled with campy colored lights. It looks like a bar slash dance club. There are men and women drinking themselves silly while half-naked girls fondle their clients.

"If you want to order a girl, go to the bar. They'll have a menu."

I look to my left at the muscled security and nod. I can't keep standing in the same place even if my mind is on overdrive to all I was witnessing. I slowly make my way towards the bar trying to hold back the bile in my stomach as I see girls performing lewd acts. The girls are masked too. Probably worried someone like me would identify them from missing people posters if given the chance.

I walk over to the bar and see a folder. I begin to flip through the pages. Every girl is completely bear and posed perfectly. My choice better be good or else this whole risk was for nothing. I try to not look at anything but the face even if there are masks to cover their eyes to choose one that looks older.

"Are you ready to order?"

I look down and point to the brown-haired young woman.

"Her."

"Do you want private or a public showing. Private will be double but you can do whatever you like to her."

"Private," I replied.

"Go through the door and we'll have her waiting in the room to the left." I'm instructed.

My hand reaches up to mess with my bow tie. I feel like its too tight or maybe I am stressed for what is about to happen. I walk through and find the right door. Inside there is a bed, couch and various instruments used for torture and sex.

I sit down on the couch and two seconds later, the girl I ordered is shoved roughly through the door. She stands timid waiting for instruction. I know I will need to get her close in case there were listening devices.

"Come here," I softly ordered.

She walks slowly to me and stands a few feet in front of me. She is completely bear but I try to not focus on that. I hold out my hand to her and she places her hand in mine. I pull her to me guiding her down on my lap.

I kiss her ear so if anyone is watching it will look like I am playing my part.

"How long have you been here?" I whispered.

"Long enough," she whispered softly back to me.

"I need help. Your help. I can get you out of here, but I need you to trust me. Do you know who is running this operation? Can you give me any details about him?"

She pulls back to look at me. Her brown eyes staring through the mask. Suddenly she jumps up and straddles me. She begins to ride me placing my hands on her backside. I'm thankful I still have my clothes on but I'm having a hard time trying to remain professional, especially when it has been too long since my last sexual encounter.

"Who are you?" she asked me.

"Why don't you tell me first. I can help you."

She laughed.

"You don't believe me?" I asked.

"Who said I wanted to be helped?" She slows down, "Look, I appreciate what you're trying to do. Nice to know you're not just another disgusting asshole but, I'm right where I want to be. You want to know who is running this place? So do I and you are way out of your league. So, mister fancypants, why don't you get out of here before you get yourself killed."

"You'd be surprised at what I can do. I think I'm in the right league so why don't you tell me what you know and let me get this revolting place shut down and save all those poor girls out there that don't want to be here."

It was the first time I raised my voice. If we were being listened in on, I might have just screwed up. The girl immediately stops what she is doing and reaches up to my face to pull off my mask.

"Edward?"

I hear her voice and I reach up and grab her mask already knowing what I fear most will be true.

"Bella!" I stand up and immediately let her go. I rip off my suit coat and toss it at her not wanting to see her naked body. "What are you doing here?"

"Probably the same thing you are doing here," she snapped.

I look around for the cameras knowing we don't have much time.

"Don't worry, this room is protected. No one can see or hear anything. Gifted remember?" She says pulling on my coat.

"How is that possible?" I asked. "And if that's true, then why were you riding me?"

She gave me a teasing smile and shrugged. "You were hot. I still have to do my job…a little…anyway," She shook her head and went back on track, "I have the ability to shield things if you need a recap and thankfully while I was in here, I met another girl who has the ability to make people see what she wants them to see. Jane. As far as security goes, they think they are practically watching a porno movie from what they can see on their video screens."

I scoffed and shook my head. I had been looking for this girl since the night she left and leave it to Bella to find the most dangerous place to be hiding out in.

"So you've been fucking people while trying to get information? That shit stops now!"

"I haven't fucked that many people. Like I said, my friend has a gift. It comes in handy. And you don't get to tell me what to do anymore. I am no longer your ward of the state. I'm twenty-two years old and this is my chance to get those assholes who killed my family. Don't stand in my way Edward Cullen or I will end you!"

"You're such a child. You think you can go up against Metamorphosis on your own? You'll get yourself killed," I growled.

"I. DON'T. CARE!" she yelled. "If I get a shot at Meta, you better believe I am going to take it. If I die, then at least I tried. Go home, Edward. Find another way in. Go back to protecting old ladies from getting mugged."

She took off my suit coat and threw it at the floor before stomping off to the door and slamming it behind her. She was going to kill me for what I was going to do next, but I couldn't leave her here. She had no idea what she was doing.

I put my coat back on and went out to the bar.

"You want another so soon?" he asked.

"No, I want to speak to the owner. I want to buy the girl I was just with and be sure to tell him I am prepared to pay any price."

Kicking and screaming, Bella is brought out to the ally fully clothed. I grab her arm and pull her away from security.

"You're going to pay for this," she hissed struggling to get out of my grip but is unsuccessful.

"Stop it!" I yelled.

Security guards go back into the club and leave us be. I let her go and she continues to pound her angry fists on my chest.

"That was my chance! Asshole. Fucking asshole!" she screamed. I see her eyes filled with tears and fury. I couldn't let her stay in that place. Even if she was legal to make her own decisions. I once vowed I would keep her safe. I wasn't planning on ever breaking that vow even if I didn't live up to my word regarding her brother.

I grab her wrists to stop her and pull her to me. She gives in and sobs into my chest.

"We will get them. I promise."

She could help, but you better believe I would do anything to keep her from the final showdown, even if I had to lock her in my Batcave.

I pull off my coat and place it around her bare shoulders and lead her out towards the street where my car was. The ally way is dank and smells of garbage. I see flies buzzing around one of the trash heaps as we pass, and my eye looks down and catches sight of something.

Bella stops walking feeling my pause. I let her go and lean down and remove one of the boxes and a face stares back up at me. Lifeless. I hear Bella gasp. I turn back to her and she begins to stutter in shock.

"Jane?" she whispered.

"Your friend? The one with special abilities?"

I immediately pull her to me and put my head on a swivel looking around. The body was cold which means they knew about Bella and me.

"Let's go." I grab her and hurry toward the end of the ally way to the street, but our path gets blocked.

"Mr. Cullen," one of the goons said. "Our boss wants a word with the two of you."

I know they will never let Bella go. I have no idea how I am going to get her out of here alive. I walk first and hold Bella's hand so she will follow along behind me. A black Escalade waits for us on the street. I help Bella in and follow quickly after worried they would try and separate us. Once we are in the car, I see there are two men with guns pointed right at us. Another two sit up front. With Bella's ability, I need only to touch her to be blocked from impending gunfire, however, I don't make a move because I hope this is one step closer to bringing me face to face with Meta.

The windows on the car are completely blacked out. I can barely see out the front window from the angle I am in. I begin to memorize how many turns we take and the approximate time in between those turns but with the city, I would be lucky to get within a block or two if I get the opportunity to retrace my steps and that is only depending on if Bella and I make it out of here alive.

My backup plan is a Hell Mary. I twist the ring on my right hand to send off a signal to my informational center. It will ping Emmett and Jasper's phone and alert them to known coordinates. My cufflinks have listening devices in them that aren't detectable. Bella still has my coat on. I worry she will pull it off and leave behind my last insurance plan. If something does happen to me, I hope my brothers will carry on in my absence and after tonight, have what they need to go after Metamorphosis.

The car angles down and we are heading into a parking garage. We are pulled out of the vehicle and frisked for any weapons or phones we are carrying on our person. Thankfully, they leave my coat alone on Bella. They take my ring, however, no matter how much I protest.

We are shoved into an elevator and have four extra riders with us. They all have their guns at the ready in case we get the stupid idea to cause problems. I feel my heart accelerating. I have hoped for this moment for so long. Waited patiently for this day to come, when I can finally put a face to all the problems I've had and see the look on this person's face that took Bella's whole world away from her.

I look towards Bella and I can see she is as anxious as I am. She isn't scared, as she should be, she is ready. Like a samurai, ready to go into war. Her stance is solid. Everything I have taught her will be for this defining moment.

The elevator doors open, and we are pushed out to a windowless room. A swanky sleek office. I already know the walls are lead lined by the look of them. A deterrent against most powers. Like a scene out of a crap Bond movie. We can see someone sitting in a chair faced away from us. I feel Bella ready to charge but I grab her wrist and held her back.

The chair slowly turns. This is it. This is what I've been waiting for.

My heart drops to my stomach. I hear Bella gasp and cease her movements from shock.

"Dad?"

I feel as if the wind was knocked out of me. I can't form an intelligent thought. Thankfully, neither can Bella as I don't have it in me to stop any actions on her part.

"Hello Edward," he says it as if this were any normal day. "I know you probably have a few questions. I'm sure you are wishing I hadn't taken your gift away."

I narrow my eyes confused to what he is referring to.

"Oh. You don't remember." He stands up and walks over toward the wall and presses it with his finger. It lights up and a screen shows a confusing equation. I'm intelligent but this is way over my head.

"A long time ago I had a vision. I believed I could make the world a better place if I could restructure DNA to allow a person to be gifted with special abilities. Once I had the formula perfected. I tried it out on you, but your gift was far too dangerous. I knew if I wanted to keep going with my work, I would need to change you back. I found that every person was different. I talked your mother into adopting a boy and Jasper surprised me with his ability to alter a person's mood. Then Emmett came along, and he was strong. I could use those gifts to my advantage to help further along my vision. I could have if they allowed their minds to be open, but I learned early on they would never see things my way, so I abandoned that project."

"What was my gift?" I asked. I was still in shock and I know my question was probably not appropriate with everything I should have asked, but I needed to know.

"You were telepathic. You damn near gave me a heart attack the first time you read my mind," he laughed remembering the memory.

"I wish I had," I replied coldly.

He waves a naughty finger at me and returns to looking at his screen. He points and clicks to go to the next screen. Now that the shock has worn off, I find my anger bubbling to the surface.

"I found the agent I created only worked on adolescents. Which was a shame as I would have loved to find out what my special ability could have been. Well, I'm still working on it and trying to come up with a way to make it happen. Anyway, once I realized it would only work on adolescents, I decided to add my little cocktail to the H1N1 and then handed gifts out to kids like they were candy. Slowly my results rolled in. This was the stage to take my vision to the next level. I have been collecting people with the most effective gifts and forming my own army."

"Why are you telling us this?" I snapped.

"Because I have faith you two will do the right thing and join me. We can make the world a better place. You'll do the right thing, Edward because I am your father and you would never go against me."

I laughed, "I think the time to play the family card has long passed. You may be a psychopath, but I don't think you would kill your own son."

He shook his head and whispered, "so disappointing."

A loud commotion comes from behind us and it startles everyone including the escorts and their guns. The elevator doors open and the small car is filled with bodies lying on the floor except for my brothers. They saunter in and look at our father. They don't seem surprised in the least.

"Your mother will be horrified to lose all her children in one night, think about this," Carlisle warned.

Emmett looks at the men holding their guns and shrugs. He doesn't know his powers won't work in here. "Seems like a fair fight to me."

We all instantly take a fighting stance. Bella beside me. Her eye looks over to me waiting for my signal. Even after all this time and how much she has grown, she still looks to me to take the lead. I throw the first punch and chaos ensues. Even with their guns, they aren't a match for us. I can even watch after Bella and make sure she isn't in over her head, but she makes me proud, watching the lessons I taught her being put to good use.

Every last one of the foot soldiers is put down quickly and efficiently. My father doesn't even move an inch. He smiles mocking us. I begin to advance suddenly, he is gone. Literally vanished before our very eyes.

"Nice try, boys."

Jasper runs over toward the desk and finds the piece of tech he was looking for.

"A damn hologram!" he growled throwing it to the floor.

He was never here. Nothing was accomplished. I look to Bella and she doesn't seem nearly as upset as I am.

"I'm sorry, Bella," I said softly.

She sighed and shook her head.

"Hey, at least we are one step closer. I'll get my chance. Like you used to tell me; we never stop training. Never stop improving. When we think we are invincible, that is when we will be conquered. Your dad thinks he is invincible. We'll get him, Edward."

Her words brought me comfort. I didn't care if he was my father, I would make sure he would pay for his countless sins. At least we knew who we were dealing with now. However, my father wasn't going to be my next problem to deal with, Bella would be my problem. I needed her to stick around and work with me. I needed to know that she was alive and safe. She was right on nearly everything she said but one thing. We'll get him? No, Bella, I'll get him.


End file.
